https://www.scmp.com/rss/327235/feed The Go-China series provides a quick reference to some of fast-growing and emerging cities on the mainland, such as Chengdu, Hangzhou and Xiamen, etc. Topics covered include economic and social developments, investment opportunities, business environment, as well as introduction to some of the key infrastructure and property projects. The series is also packed with useful information for visitors, such as city life, arts and culture, transportation, hotels, foods and restaurants. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com [Sponsored Article] As well as becoming China’s 12th free-trade zone, Hainan, a 35,000 square kilometre (13,500 square mile) island, will go a step further by becoming the largest free trade port in the world and will rival the world’s most developed and elegant areas, like Hong Kong and Singapore in Asia and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. With no doubt, Haikou city, capital of the country’s biggest free trade port, will manfully take the pioneer post to fulfil Hainan’s goal to be the... https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/china/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148415/visa-free-destination-haikou-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/china/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148415/visa-free-destination-haikou-city?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 16:00:30 +0000 This year is Hainan’s 30th anniversary, and a massive leap in the province’s development. Haikou, the capital city, is well placed to make the most of new opportunities. In April, President Xi Jinping paid a three-day visit to Haikou after attending the Boao Forum. At a gathering celebrating the 30th anniversary of the founding of Hainan Province and the Hainan special economic zone, Xi announced the government’s decision to support the transformation of the whole Hainan Island into a pilot... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148512/emboldened-haikou-line-huge-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148512/emboldened-haikou-line-huge-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 10:22:29 +0000 The city of Haikou was historically a place where adventurers dived for pearls along the coastline and Ming dynasty soldiers guarded against pirates. It was an important port during the imperial period, and traded with many nations nearby as part of Guangdong province. The city rose to greater prominence during the early 19th century, when the British opened Haikou up as a treaty port and sought to establish greater trade by sea with Hong Kong and the islands of the South Pacific. Those efforts... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148510/haikous-dynamism-rooted-its-past?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148510/haikous-dynamism-rooted-its-past?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 10:13:35 +0000 Haikou is a growing city of 2.27 million people, but there are still beautiful, wild and natural places surrounding the city. There are beaches and parks, volcanoes and coconut plantations, as well as vast strands of mangrove trees and exotic botanic gardens. Many of the best beaches in China are on Hainan Island, and the northern coastline east and west of Haikou are no exception. Holiday and Xixiu beaches make up parts of a long strip of sandy beach heading west from the city. The luxurious... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148508/haikou-offers-easy-access-nature-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148508/haikou-offers-easy-access-nature-its?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 10:07:19 +0000 Haikou is set amid the splendour of a tropical island, surrounded by the ocean, beaches, lush plantations and rolling green hills. Within the city, however, there is a need for a conscious effort to maintain green spaces for the urbanites who are not always able to take time off and visit the special wild places around Haikou. Sometimes people need to just walk down the street, go to the nearest park, and stroll along to gather their thoughts and rejuvenate their spirits. Fortunately, the city... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148505/city-haikou-recognises-need-healthy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148505/city-haikou-recognises-need-healthy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 10:02:29 +0000 Hainan has a long and varied history, with waves of migrants landing on the island from the mainland, since the Han dynasty. The local Li people have endured, and so has their way of life. Much of what we see today represented as “Hainan culture” is an eclectic mix of traditional Li and Han imperial cultures, with a dash of foreign influence to go along with today’s more modern society. One of the most iconic elements of Hainan culture is Qiong opera, based in Haikou. The art is a dramatic... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148503/hainan-culture-expresses-drama-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148503/hainan-culture-expresses-drama-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 09:59:21 +0000 Perfectly situated on the South China Sea, and with easy access to mainland China and neighbouring countries, the port of Haikou is an emerging nautical tourism centre. Located on the Nandu River, Haikou faces the Chinese mainland across the Qiongzhou Strait. While the city is an important shipping and trading port, cruise tourism is fast becoming an essential part of the city’s maritime operations. Aiding the area’s transformation into an international coastal tourism centre are a slew of... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148502/haikou-opens-way-more-intimate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148502/haikou-opens-way-more-intimate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 09:54:13 +0000 Haikou offers a vast array of sports events and activities for all levels, from enthusiasts to professionals. The island’s year-round temperate weather makes it an ideal destination for golf aficionados, so it comes as no surprise that the island offers more than two dozen top golf clubs. One of the city’s premier golf clubs is Mission Hills Haikou, one of the largest in the world. Professional cyclists race through the city as a part of the Tour of Hainan, an annual road race that started in... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148501/temperate-climate-enhances-sporting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148501/temperate-climate-enhances-sporting?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 09:49:28 +0000 The convention and exhibition industry in Haikou is growing and is expected to play a key role in the city’s economic transformation, contributing estimated revenue of 20 billion yuan (HK$24.55 billion) by 2020. Last year, Haikou hosted 8,002 conventions and exhibitions, up 27 per cent from 2016, accounting for 49 per cent of all events held in Hainan province. Among the events, 46 each had more than 1,000 delegates. There were 20 international events during the year, including the International... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148500/haikous-convention-and-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148500/haikous-convention-and-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 09:41:59 +0000 Hotels in Haikou have seen a steady increase in corporate and leisure bookings in recent months, and this growth is expected to be boosted by the central government’s plans to turn Hainan into a free-trade area. Hotel reservations have been increased by the expansion of visa-free entry to Hainan and the introduction of more direct foreign flights to Haikou. Erica Loh, managing director of The Ritz-Carlton Haikou and Renaissance Haikou, says IT companies such as Alibaba (owner of the South China... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148494/haikou-hotels-poised-profit-free?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148494/haikou-hotels-poised-profit-free?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 09:36:05 +0000 Mission Hills Haikou moved closer to becoming a one-stop leisure destination for visitors to Haikou, with the opening of the Wet ‘n’ Wild water theme park this month. Covering an area of 22 square kilometres, Mission Hills Haikou was developed by Mission Hills Group of Hong Kong, operator of Mission Hills in Shenzhen and Dongguan. Located in a volcanic landscape south of the city centre, it is also about 15 minutes by car from the Meilan International Airport. The resort, opened in March 2010,... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148492/mission-hills-haikou-unveils-latest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148492/mission-hills-haikou-unveils-latest?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 09:31:00 +0000 Haikou’s culinary scene offers many savoury foods that run the gamut from Hainan classics, including chicken, duck and lamb, to seafood, all of which are on hand at a wide range of local restaurants and markets. One of the most famous regional dishes is Wenchang chicken, with legend dating it back to the city of Wenchang in northeastern Hainan in the 14th century. Even today, this fleshy chicken is raised in Wenchang on a diet of coconut flesh and peanut cake. The whole chicken is typically... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148490/food-choices-haikou-make-every-meal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-haikou/article/2148490/food-choices-haikou-make-every-meal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 09:24:01 +0000 No trip to Haikou is complete without a foray into the shops and markets to sample the many cultural and culinary treasures available in the “Coconut City”. Centuries of tradition are on display at Haikou’s handicraft shops, even as the city’s fresh food markets highlight China’s widest selection of fresh, locally-produced tropical fruit. Perhaps the most impressive venue for handicrafts and souvenirs is Qilou Old Street. Gastronomic tourists will be delighted with the nearby Qilou Snack Street,... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-sanya/article/2148464/cultural-and-culinary-treasures-make?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/business/topics/go-china-sanya/article/2148464/cultural-and-culinary-treasures-make?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 07:25:20 +0000